Phase shift key (PSK) modulation of radio signals has been used in the past to transmit digital information between data processing systems. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,070, entitled "Demodulator for biphase, suppressed-carrier PSK signals" by P. Rinaldi. The phase modulation technique uses a 180 degree phase shift to distinguish between a binary one and a binary zero. This forces the carrier to be zeroed out during modulation. To demodulate the modulated signal, the prior art requires complex circuitry to reliably reconstitute the binary information at the receiver. The demodulators of the prior art must reconstruct the carrier. They require coherent demodulation to create a signal that is phase locked with the incoming signal, and they then must combine the two in a multiplier to detect the data. The IF signal must be made synchronous with the demodulated signal off the carrier. Stated otherwise, the carrier and the local oscillator must be made synchronous to demodulate the PSK signal in the prior art. What is needed in the prior an is a simple radio demodulation method and apparatus, that can detect phase changes in PSK modulated signals at very low intermediate frequencies.
In phase shift key modulation, a carrier signal, for example a 2.4 gHz carrier signal, is selectedly applied to a phase shift delay circuit, depending upon the binary state of control input to the delay circuit. For example, when there is a binary zero data state for the control input, no phase shift delay is applied to the carrier signal. Alternately, when there is a binary one data state, a phase shift delay is applied to the carrier signal. The carrier signal is then transmitted to the receiver. At the receiver, there is a local oscillator that oscillates at a slightly different frequency, for example 2.4 gHz plus 2 mHz. At the receiver, these two frequencies are mixed and a corresponding beat note signal or intermediate frequency (IF) signal is produced. Phase shift information which has been imposed on the carrier signal is then manifested in the IF signal at the receiver. A significant problem in such phase shift key modulation communication techniques is created by the drift in the frequency of the oscillator at the transmitter, which generates the 2.4 gHz carrier signal, and the drift of the local oscillator at the receiver, which generates the 2.4 gHz plus 2 mHz signal. The relative drift in the frequencies of these two oscillators will result in unstable characteristics in the intermediate frequency produced at the receiver and therefore unreliable detection of the binary data being transmitted.